CHAP. XLII. ROSA CEH. ARMENI‘ACA. 681 
vation; and where, according to Royle, both the free and clingstone varieties 
are known; the former being called kulloo, and the latter kardee. The tree 
is found wild in different parts of the Himalayas, at elevations of 5000 ft. and 
6000 ft. In the district of Bissehur there is a distinct kind, called bhemee by 
the natives (Pérsica saligna Royle), which, though small, is juicy and very 
sweet. The nectarine is found in gardens in Northern India, where it is 
called shuftaloo, and moondia (smooth) aroo (peach), though it does not per- 
fectly ripen its fruit, nor is it known whence it was introduced, though, 
probably, from Caubul. (Royle Illust., p. 204.) The Romans received the 
peach from Persia, during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. It is men- 
tioned in the writings of Columella ; and several sorts are described by Pliny. 
It was in cultivation in England about the middle of the 16th century; 
but, in all probability, was first introduced when the Romans had possession 
of the country. It is now in general cultivation as a fruit tree, against walls, 
in the middle and north of Europe; as a standard tree, in fields and gardens, 
in Italy, Spain, and the north of Africa, and in various countries of the 
East, including Persia, India, and China. It was carried to North America 
by the first European settlers, probably at the end of the 16th, or the 
beginning of the 17th, century; and it is now cultivated there, in extensive 
plantations, for the distillation of peach brandy, and for fattening hogs. These 
plantations grow with such luxuriance, that the orchards almost resemble 
forests. The nuts are sown, and no other care is bestowed on the plants 
than that of removing the larger weeds for a year or two. In four years 
they commence bearing, and continue to grow and to produce fruit for 20 or 
30 years. In South America, the peach has been generally introduced by 
the Spaniards; and Sir Francis Head, in his Rough Notes, mentions the 
beauty of the trees among the corn fields of Mendoza. 
Properties and Uses. The fruit-bearing varieties are cultivated entirely 
for their fruit ; and those with double flowers, and variegated leaves, as or- 
namental objects in shrubberies For this last purpose, what has been 
stated relatively to the almond will apply to the peach and nectarine ; and 
for their culture as fruit trees, we refer to our Encyclopedia of Gardening. 
Medicinally, and in domestic economy, the fruit, leaves, and flowers may be 
substituted for those of the almond. From the wood of the peach tree the 
colour called rose pink is procured. As an ornamental tree, the only va- 
rieties worth cultivating are, the Tunbridge peach, which will grow well as 
a standard; the double-flowered peach, which is extremely ornamental, and 
groups well with the double-flowered cherry and plum; and the variegated- 
leaved. The price of plants is the same as for the almond. 
Genus III. 
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Vey 
y 
ARMENTACA Tourn. Tue Apricot, Lin. Syst. Icosandria Monogynia. 
Identification. Tourn, Inst., t. 399. ; Juss. Gen., 341. ; Dec. FI. Fr., 4. p. 485. ; Prod., 2. p. 531. ; Don’s 
Mill., 2. p. 495. 
Synonymes. Prinus sp. of Lin. and others; Abricotier, Fr. ; Aprikosenbaum, Ger. 
Derivation. The genus is named Armeniaca, from the apricot being originally from Armenia. The 
popular English name was originally precocia, from the Arabic, berkoche; whence the Tuscan 
bacoche, or albicocco ; and the English, abricot, or apricock, eventually corrupted into apricot. 
Some persons derive the name from pr@coz, from this fruit ripening sooner than most others. 
Description, §c. A fruit tree, in general cultivation throughout the temper- 
ate regions of the globe, distinguished at first sight from the almond, peach, 
and nectarine, by its heart-shaped, smooth, shining leaves, and white flowers. 
There are several wild varieties, bearing flowers of different shades of pink, 
chiefly cultivated as ornamental. The great beauty of both the wild and the 
cultivated sorts of apricot is, that they come into bloom in Britain before al- 
most every other tree; the Siberian apricot flowering a fortnight, or more, 
before the common sloe or almond. 
